Sometimes, just sometimes, we film critics should try to view a film through the eyes of its intended audience. Of course we can only review a film as we see fit, but after watching 'Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe' (hereby shortened to CON:TLTWATW) with my 6 year old son, I learnt that while this may not be a film for the refined critic within us, the kids frickin' love it. When I offered the other day to take him to the cinema again, instead of a repeat viewing of King Kong or Harry Potter, or seeing 'March of the Penguins' for the first time, he opted for his second viewing of Narnia. And sometimes, there's nothing at all wrong with a film that can cast that kind of spell.

The Pevensie children are among the thousands of children in London who face the nightly terror of German bombs in the blitz during WW2. Peter (William Moseley) is the eldest, struggling to fill his absent father's shoes, while Susan (Anna Popplewell) is the level-headed voice of reason in the group. Rounding out the group are sulky Edmund (Skandar Keynes) who's taking the father's military service worst of all, and the youngest, Lucy (Georgie Henley). Soon, the four of them are uprooted from their home and evacuated to the country home of Professor Kirke (Jim Broadbent) whose house contains the titular wardrobe that is the gateway to the magical and frozen land of Narnia.

Lucy is the first to enter encountering the faun Mr Tumnus (James McAvoy), while Edmund finding the world later, falls under the influence of Jadis the White Witch (Tilda Swinton). Initially disbelieving, Peter and Susan are the last to enter, encountering two talking beavers (Ray Winstone and Dawn French). Luckily for them (and us) they fill in a lot of exposition. Narnia is a land on the brink of war with Aslan the lion (Liam Neeson) and the forces of good on one side, and Jadis, who has plunged Narnia into perpetual winter, on the other. Furthermore, it seems that the appearance of four humans ties in with a prophecy that will decide the outcome of the war and the fate of Narnia.

The general critical reaction to 'CON:TLTWATW' has been cool and mediocre at best, and there are some criticisms that are deserved. The world of Narnia does seem strangely underpopulated and lacks the mammoth detail of the obvious comparison, Lord of the Rings. The children fall a little too neatly into the grand schemes of Jadis and Aslan, and the appearance of Father Christmas is as bizarre as it is the book. But then...if it's in the book, why shouldn't it be here?

And for the critics lambasting the film because of the less-than-subtle Christ allusion, well done for picking up on a reference that's only been common knowledge for, oooh, over fifty years, and has also been used in films from 'Bride of Frankenstein' to 'Cool Hand Luke' to 'E.T'. Very astute of you, give yourself a pat on the back.

Otherwise, the 'CON:TLTWATW' is giddy, fast-moving fun. Adamson keeps the film skipping along happily, throwing in lots of stunning eye-candy along the way and, c'mon, how can you go wrong with talking animals that aren't there just to sing songs or throw in annoying cultural references? Edmund's prissy horse deserves a film all of his own and steals the film with his one line. Part of the effect I could tell Narnia was having was from the cheers of the children by the end of the film as the two forces finally clash. It's a thunderous battle as eagles drop rocks, minotaurs charge centaurs, and rhinos take out humans. It has to be said however that for all its grandeur, it's quite a bloodless battle. No-one wants to see guts and entrails in a kids film, but would a little splash of crimson really traumatise anyone?

The four children fit into their roles nicely, pulling off the neat trick of capturing the spiky and niggly family dynamics of any brothers and sisters. The fact that Neeson makes for a dull Aslan, is countered by the fact that Swinton is a great villain. Conjuring up the spectre of Margaret Thatcher alongside the preying creepiness of a paedophile (her first scene with Edmund recalls one from 'The Woodsman'), she's effortlessly evil and leaves a tough job for whoever is handling the villain duties in 'Prince Caspian'.

If the first step into Narnia is one that doesn't astound us like our first trip into middle earth, then it's nevertheless a step that deserves a longer, fuller journey.

Ultimately, 'CON:TLTWATW' is a simplistic, thinly characterised, morally obvious tale with lots of great villains and cool supporting characters with some stunning visuals to match. And isn't that like most great kids films?